Device installed in passenger cars for smashing windows after traffic accidents

ABSTRACT

A device for smashing or breaking windows in the event of a traffic-accident. The device has a holding plate with holes for the attachment thereof, and clips for the accommodation of a hammer. The holding plate consists of a base of T-shaped configuration while the hammer is provided, in the vicinity of the head thereof, with two symmetrical tips and, in the vicinity of the free end of the handle, with a blade for cutting safety belts. In the three end-regions of the T-shaped configuration of the base, there are protective walls which cover the hammer-tips and the free end of the hammer-handle.

The invention relates to a device, more particularly to be secured inpassenger-cars, for smashing the windows in the event of a trafficaccident, the device comprising a holding plate with holes for theattachment thereof and clips for the accommodation of a hammer. In theevent of an accident in which the doors of the vehicles can no longer beopened, such devices allow the persons thus locked in to smash thewindows and thus to escape from the vehicle.

Devices of the type mentioned at the beginning hereof are known inomnibuses and railroad-cars, where they are used only for smashingwindows after accidents. The holding plate comprises openings for itsattachment to the wall and holes through which attachment screws can bepassed. The holding plate is also provided with clips into which ahammer and the handle thereof may be clamped, and thus held. The hammerconsists of a wooden handle and a head made of metal. The head isdifferently formed at both end regions in the known manner. Devices ofthis kind have not hitherto been common in passenger-cars, even though,in the event of an accident, the doors may jam. In this case, the onlyway out for the passengers is through a smashed window.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a device of the kinddescribed which will permit simple and rapid exit of the occupants ofthe vehicle when the doors become jammed and can no longer be opened. Inthis connection, as a result of the small amount of space availablewithin a passenger-car, it is essential, on the one hand, for the deviceto be stored in a protected area, and, on the other hand, for it to bereadily graspable and thus be available for use within the car in theevent of an accident of the type indicated.

According to the invention, and in the case of a device of the typedescribed, this is accomplished in that the holding plate consists of abase body with T-shaped contour, in that the hammer is provided, in thevicinity of its head, with two symmetrically arranged tips andcomprises, in the vicinity of the free end of the hammer-handle, a bladefor cutting safety belts, and in that protective walls covering thehammer-tips and the free end of the hammer-handle are provided in thethree end-areas of the T-shaped contour. The T-shaped base correspondsto the outer contour of the hammer, so that the device as a whole,consisting of the holding plate and the hammer, has an attractiveappearance. The device is also small enough to be arranged within reachof the occupants of a passenger-car, for instance on the carpeting underone of the front-seats or the like. Since the hammer-head has twosymmetrically arranged tips in the region of the head, it is immaterialwhich of the tips is used to smash the windshield, a lateral window orthe rear window of the car. Thus, it is not necessary to turn the hammerwhile smashing the windows. Passenger-cars are also known to be fittedwith safety-belts, and in many kinds of accidents they can no longer beopened at the belt-lock and must therefore be cut. The free end of thehammer-handle is, therefore, fitted with a blade to be cut quickly andeasily, so that the occupants can free themselves. On the other hand,the hammer and its two tips are accommodated in the base and are thusprotected. Since the blade is also concealed, inadvertent injury to theoccupants need not be feared.

The hammer tips may also be conical, in which case the protective wallson the base are V-shaped. This provides a fit between the holding plateand the hammer affording protection both to the hammer tips and to theoccupants of the car. Moreover these protective walls hold the hammeradditionally to the clips, in other locations, so that it cannot shiftin the locking plate or become loose as a result of vibrations.

The two hammer-tips may be arranged in a continuous metalinsert-element, whereas the hammer-handle consists of two half-shellsadapted to be connected together. The two half-shells have expandedheads enclosing the insert-element. This provides an extremely effectiveinstrument, in which weight is provided only in the head region by themetal insert-element. On the other hand, the handle, consisting of twoaluminum die-castings, is correspondingly light in weight.

The insert-element may comprise peripheral grooves into which extendribs of both half-shells of the handle, so that when the half-shells areconnected together, the insert-element is held securely and fixed inplace.

The hammer-handle may be fitted advantageously, near its free end, withan open notch passing through both half-shells, a blade being held, atthe bottom of the notch, between the half-shells. In this connection,the configuration of the open notch is such that a finger cannot enterit, whereas a safety belt can enter easily and reach the knife at thebottom. If the notch is arranged at an angle to the axis of thehammer-handle, the safety-belt may be cut with a simple pull, and thiscan be done very rapidly.

A detachably mounted needle may be provided in the hammer-head and maybe used to adjust or clean the windshield-washer nozzles in passengercars. The device may thus be used for several purposes.

The invention is explained hereinafter in greater detail, in conjunctionwith the example of embodiment. There are shown:

FIG. 1 is a view of the device consisting of a hammer and a holdingplate;

FIG. 2 is a side elevation of the device according to FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a view of the holding plate of the device; and

FIG. 4 is a side elevation of the holding plate according to FIG. 3.

The device illustrated in FIG. 1 consists of two components adapted toeach other, namely a holding plate 1 and a hammer 2. The holding plateconsists of a base 3 having a T-shaped contour from which clips 4, 5project. Located in the end-areas of the T-shaped base are two V-shapedprotective walls 6 and 7 and one protective wall 8. These walls servenot only to protect the hammer, but also to hold and fix it in placemore securely.

Hammer 2 comprises a handle 9 and a head 10, the central part of thehandle 9 being ridged or grooved, or the like, in order to provide anon-slip hold of the hammer 2. The handle 9 is made of two half-shells11, 12 which may be aluminum die-castings with expanded parts 13 in thehead-region. These expanded parts accommodate an insert-element 14 whichmay be in the form of a continuous metal element and has two hammer-tips15, 16. These tips are conically-shaped and terminate in points, and maythus be used to smash passenger-car windows easily and effortlessly.

V-shaped protective walls 6, 7 are adapted to the shape of hammer-tips15, 16. They thus enclose the hammer tightly, thus holding hammer 2 tobase 3 in addition to clips 4, 5. Insert-element 14 has peripheralgrooves 17 in which ribs 18, formed from half-shells 11, 12, engage,thus securing the insert-element 14 immovably and securely inhammer-handle 9. Screws 19, 20 serve to connect half-shells 11, 12.

The free end of hammer-handle 9 comprises an open-edge notch 21 arrangedat an oblique angle to its axis. The notch is narrower than thethickness of a human finger. Secured at the bottom of notch 21 is ablade 22 held between half-shells 11, 12. In the event of danger, thesafety-belt may be inserted into open notch 21 and may be cut with blade22.

Located in hammer-head 10 is a needle 23 with a knob 24. The needleextends into the interior of insert-element 14 which has an opening forthis purpose. The needle is grasped by the knob and is withdrawn fromthe hammer. It may then be used to adjust and clean thewindshield-washer nozzles or headlight-washer nozzles.

FIGS. 3 and 4 show holding plate 1 with protective walls 6, 7, 8. In thecentral area, i.e. in the vicinity of clips 4 and 5, the base has aramp-like rise 25 upon which the hammer 2 with handle 9 rests (thehandle is not shown here). Base 3 also has openings 26, 27 for securingholding-plate 1 to the vehicle. This can occur with the aid of sheetmetal screws which extend through the openings 26, 27. This can also beaccomplished by means of long sliding needles, shown by dotted lines inFIG. 4. These can be inserted obliquely through other openings inholding-plate 1, for example into the carpeting, thus securing theholding plate so that it cannot slip. The sliding needles may beU-shaped. The sliding needles may engage lockingly, with the bent backsof the clips, in recesses of the ramp-like projection 25. Hammer 2 isheld protected in the holding plate, so that there is no danger to theoccupants of the car to be injured by hammer 2 or blade 22. On the otherhand, when it is needed, the hammer may easily be removed from itsmounting in the holding plate, so that in the event of danger after anaccident, the safety-belts can very quickly be cut and the windowssmashed. The hammer thus performs the function of a life-saver, beingequipped to deal with the special problems which may arise in apassenger-car after an accident, namely cutting through the safety-beltson the one hand and smashing the windows on the other hand.

I claim:
 1. A device in motor vehicles for smashing windows aftertraffic accidents, comprising: a holding plate with mounting means; ahammer for smashing the windows; clip means for attaching said hammer tosaid holding plate, said holding plate having a T-shaped base; saidhammer having a head with two symmetrical tips; said hammer having ahandle with a free end carrying a cutting blade for cutting safetybelts; protective walls on said holding plate at end regions of theT-shape for covering said hammer tips and said free end of said hammerhandle; a continuous metal insert element in said hammer head forholding said hammer tips; said hammer head having walls surrounding saidinsert element; said hammer handle comprising two half-shells connectedto each other; said hammer handle having an open-edged notch passingthrough said half-shells in vicinity of said free end of said handle;said holding plate having two sliding needles for mounting said holdingplate; said needles having a U-shape and extending while sliding inrecesses of ramp-shaped projections on said holding plate.
 2. A devicein motor vehicles for smashing windows after traffic accidents,comprising: a holding plate with mounting means; a hammer for smashingthe windows; clip means for attaching said hammer to said holding plate,said holding plate having a T-shaped base; said hammer having a headwith two symmetrical tips; said hammer having a handle with a free endcarrying a cutting blade for cutting safety belts; protective walls onsaid holding plate at end regions of the T-shape for covering saidhammer tips and said free end of said hammer handle; a continuous metalinsert element in said hammer head for holding said hammer tips; saidhammer head having walls surrounding said insert element; said hammerhandle comprising two half-shells connected to each other; said hammerhandle having an open-edged notch passing through said half-shells invicinity of said free end of said handle; said holding plate having twosliding needles for mounting said holding plate; said needles having aU-shape and extending while sliding in recesses of ramp-shapedprojections on said holding plate; said hammer tips beingconically-shaped; said protective walls being arranged upon said base inform of a V-shape; said insert elements having peripheral grooves, saidtwo half-shells having ribs extending into said grooves.